Plate locking device for storage batteries



Aug. 18, 1936. H H, HAUPT 2,051,297

PLATE LOCKING DEVICE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed June 6; 1954 31a/umm 777972Z??? Way/QZ Oumma/uo Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PLATE LOCKING DEVICE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Henry H. Haupt, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Vesta. Consolidated Incorporated, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 6, 1934, Serial No. 729,222

1 Claim.

It is the object of this invention to provide improved means for locking the plates of a storage battery in proper spaced relation to each other while guarding against the short circuiting of the plates due to accumulations of sediment on the locking device.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is an end view of a unit comprising the positive and negative plates and separators with my improved locking device thereon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the unit;

Fig. 3` is an isometric View showing one of the locking strips separate from the plates;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is an end view showing an alternate form of locking strip.

My device is shown in connection with a storage battery unit comprising a group of negative plates 6 having upwardly projecting lugs I connected together by a cross bar 8 to which a binding post 9 is secured. Positive plates I0 are similarly connected together by lugs and a cross bar I I, a suitable binding post I2 being secured to the bar II. Separators I3 are interposed in the usual manner between the positive and negative plates.

Extending across each end of the group of plates is a pair of locking strips I4, each formed with notches in its upper and lower edges respectively to receive lugs formed on the several plates. Each of the negative plates 6 has at one edge a lug I5 to engage the lower edge of one of the strips I4 and a second lug IB to engage the upper edge of the other strip I4. At the opposite edge of each of the plates 6 there is a lug I'I engaging the upper strip I4 and a lug I8 engaging the lower strip I4. Each positive plate has at the left of the unit as seen in Fig. 2, a lug I9 for engaging the upper edge of the upper strip I4 and a lug 20 for engaging the lower edge of the lower strip I4. Lugs 2| and 22 are formed on each of the positive plates to engage resectively the lower edge of the upper strip I4 and upper edge of the lower strip I4 at the right of the unit as seen in Fig. 2.

As shown in detail in Fig. 3, the lower left strip I4 has a series of notches 23 in its upper edge to receive and interlock with the lugs I 6 and notches 24 in its lower edge to receive the lugs 20. The other locking strips have similar notches to retain the plates in proper spaced relation by engagement with the several lugs I5, I9, I1, 2|, 22 and I8.

The upper edges 25 of the several strips I4 are beveled so that their upper surfaces extend obliquely at an acute angle down and away from the plates for the purpose of preventing the accumulation of sediment on the strips at such a point (Cl. 13B-81) as to cause ashort circuit between the adjacent positive and negative plates.

In the alternate form of stripsl I4a, shown in Fig. 6, both the upper and lower edges 25a are beveled or inclined so that all of the strips are identical and they may be inverted when necessary. For example, the notches 24a may be placed at the upper edge of a strip where it is to be used at the upper left and lower right corners of the unit (Fig. 2), while the notches 23a are placed uppermost at the upper right and lower left corners on the unit, as seen in Fig. 2.

It will be evident that each of the strips I4 interlocks at one edge with lugs formed on the positive plates and at its other edge with lugs formed on the negative plates so that the lugs are as widely spaced as possible and each plate is rigidly held against mcvement. I prefer to construct the strips I4 or I4a from material such as pyroxylin or rubber composition. When constructed from such materials the strips may be inserted while hot to permit bending, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When cooled the strips have suiiicient rigidity to retain the plates securely and prevent displacement of the strips.

I am aware that plate locks have been used heretofore, but those with which I am familiar are subject to the objection that sediment collects on the upper edges of the locking strips in suflicient quantities to form, in some cases, a short circuit between the lugs on the plates of one polarity and the adjacent plates of opposite polarity. This cannot occur with my improved locking device because of the beveled surfaces 25 and 25a whichl deflect the sediment away from the plates. Such slight accumulation as may occur on the beveledV edge extends in such a direction that it cannot come in contact with the plates without lugs and the lugs contiguous to the beveled upper edge are all of the same polarity.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A plate lock for a storage battery having positive and negative plates disposed in a group with separators between them comprising, a locking strip formed from insulating material and extending horizontally across the ends of said plates in contact with the end surfaces of said positive and negative plates, lugs formed on the plates to engage the upper and lower edges of said strip,

said edges being formed with notches to interlock with said lugs for retaining the plates in rigid spaced relation to each other and the entire upper surfaces of said strip between the lugs being' formed to extend obliquely down and continuously Y away from said end surfaces of the plates to guard against the accumulation of sediment on the upper edge of said strip.

HENRY H. HAUPT. 

